1,600 Teams Register for Chapa Dimba Na Safaricom Tournament

1,600 teams have been listed to participate in the second season of Chapa Dimba na Safaricom tournament set to kick off this weekend with group matches in the Western Region.

According to the Football Federation of Kenya (FKF), 80 matches will be played on Saturday and Sunday at different venues in Kakamega and Vihiga while Busia and Butere will host 29 games on the weekend of November 3rd and 4th. The competition then moves to Nyanza, Rift Valley, Eastern, Coast, Central, North Eastern and Nairobi regions.

“We are glad to note that more youth football teams have enlisted for this year’s tournament to make it 1,600 teams up from 1,520 teams that participated in the first edition. This is due to FKF’s great work of recruiting and using their grassroots network to full effect and also because of the great feedback received from the first season’s success”, said Charles Kare, Acting Director – Consumer Business, Safaricom.

Mr. Kare added empowerment sessions will be held in the second season for players across the country in conjunction with the Safaricom’s youth network, BLAZE.

Each team will comprise of 15 players and 2 officials for the group stages. Just like in the first season, the tournament will target aspiring male and female youth aged between 16-20 years with an aim of developing grassroots football, scouting for talent and propelling gifted players to national glory.

The regional champions will then play in a national final in 2019 where the winning teams will walk away with a million shillings in prize money.

This year, the competition will run in collaboration with LaLiga and FKF. The partnership will see an all-star team selected to attend a training camp in Spain during which they will play against local youth sides.

In addition, FKF will scout and recruit gifted players into the national teams and other leagues in the country.

Over fifteen young players from the inaugural season have joined the Kenya Premier League and the National Super League